Religion News: Prison ministry pushes to help ex-convicts

Thursday

Apr 6, 2017 at 2:01 AM

WEEK IN RELIGIONPrison Fellowship, a national prison ministry, has teamed up with leaders from both conservative and liberal groups to spread the word about helping ex-convicts after they return to civilian life. The ministry is spearheading a “Second Chance Month” to call on church leaders and politicians to help ex-convicts work on redemption and to reduce the more than 48,000 statutes that limit the rights of people with a criminal record. “We believe people with a past can rise from their failure, repay their debt and restore and heal our communities that are affected by crime,” Senior Vice President of Prison Fellowship Craig DeRoche said. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Heritage Foundation, the American Civil Liberties Union and Koch Industries joined Prison Fellowship to call for the reduction in statutes. The “Second Chance” program will also have churches hosting “Second Chance Sundays” to share the message of redemption and to pray for families impacted by crime, DeRoche said. Other groups such as Bread for the World, Catholic Charities, Christian Legal Society and the Faith and Freedom Coalition have also partnered with Prison Fellowship. — More Content Now

SURVEY SAYSPastors don’t want to endorse politiciansAccording to more than 100 pastors polled by the National Association of Evangelicals in February, 89 percent of pastors said pastors should not endorse candidates from the pulpit. For the population at large, 79 percent said it was inappropriate for pastors to endorse a political candidate during a church service in a LifeWay Research poll conducted last year. — More Content Now

GOOD BOOK?“Taking My Life Back: My Story of Faith, Determination, and Surviving the Boston Marathon Bombing” by Rebekah GregoryOn April 15, 2013, Rebekah Gregory and her five-year-old son waited at the finish line of the Boston Marathon to support a friend who was running. When the blasts of terrorists’ homemade bombs packed with nails and screws went off three feet away, Rebekah’s legs took the brunt of the blast, protecting her son from certain death. Eighteen surgeries and 65 procedures later, her left leg was amputated. Despite the extraordinary trauma she underwent and the nightmares she continues to have, Rebekah sees it as just another part of her personal journey, a journey that has led her through abuse, mistakes, and pain and into the arms of Jesus. This stirring memoir tells the story of her recovery, including her triumphant return to Boston two years later to run part of the race, and explores the peace we experience when we learn to trust God with every part of our lives--the good, the bad, and even the terrifying.— Revell

THE WORDTao: Pronounced “Dow.” The ever-changing energy of the universe that flows all around in the form of nature.— ReligionStylebook.com

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